The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus Industrie, on track to eclipse US rival Boeing in annual deliveries for the second straight year, is closing out this year on a flood of Asian orders and has snared the first firm expression of interest in its future A350.
Airbus, jointly owned by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co (EADS) and BAE Systems of Britain, has set its sights on between 315 and 320 deliveries this year and appears to be in good shape to beat Boeing, which is banking on 285 aircraft deliveries.
"2004 has so far been a very successful year for EADS and Airbus, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, and we expect more Airbus orders to be announced before the end of the year," EADS co-chief executives Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich said in a joint statement.
In a further piece of good news for the consortium, Airbus disclosed on Tuesday that Spanish airline Air Europa had signed the first letter of intent to purchase the Airbus A350, signalling its interest in 10 of the long-range, mid-size planes launched just 11 days ago.
Airbus has likewise just announced major orders from two Indian low-cost carriers while its chief executive, Noel Forgeard, recently disclosed that he had reached an accord with a Chinese company on the acquisition of five giant Airbus A380s.
The European consortium said earlier on Tuesday it had struck a deal to sell 30 A320 aircraft to Air Deccan of India.
John Leahy, Airbus chief commercial officer, said the US$1.8 billion agreement amounted to a firm order for 30 planes starting next year with an additional option for another 20 aircraft.
Airbus estimates that by 2023 the Asia-Pacific region should account for 31 percent of global air traffic against 25 percent at present. Europe by contrast is seen as stagnating at 32 percent during the same period, with North America slipping back from 33 to 26 percent.
Separately, Asia's top airline Japan Airlines (JAL) said yesterday it was seriously considering a purchase of the Boeing 7E7 Dreamliner, the next-generation jet on which the US aviation giant is staking its future.
"We have been considering buying the plane. We have had in-depth discussions and we are at the final stage of our consideration," JAL spokesman Tatsuo Yoshimura said.
His comment came after The Wall Street Journal reported that JAL may yesterday announce the selection of the Boeing 7E7 to replace as many as 58 aircraft in its fleet.
The airline has said it wants to replace its 36 aging Boeing 767s and 22 Airbus A300-600s by 2008 -- the same year that Boeing plans to introduce the 7E7, the newspaper said.
A JAL purchase would give a badly needed boost to the sluggish sales of the Dreamliner, a fuel-efficient jet which can hold 200 to 300 passengers.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old